Francis



FRANCIS J.4 VITTUM, '0F NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGMOR TO W, N. ELY, 0F sTnA'rsonn, CONNECTICUT. v

Letters Patent o. 74,734, dated February 18, 1.868.

IMPROVED LEATHER-SPLITTING MACHINE.

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Beit known that I, FRANCIS J. VITTU'M, of Newburyport, inthe State of Massachusetts, have invented 'a new andmuseful Improvement in Machines for Splitting-Leather, of which the following, with the drawings, is a full description.

Figure 1 is a top view,

Figure 2 is a front view,

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the rollers, Snc., through w y. Y

A A is the frame ofthe machine. B is a"rubbe r or elastic roll, hung `in bearings in the machine ,and driven bygear-wheel 1. C-is a compound roll, Vhung in bearings in the frame, andresting on roll B. vThis roll is composed of a small iron orother spindle, c, surrounded by a-loose spiral spring, c', and this by aseriesof loose rings, c c c. D is a 4metallic or other lroll,'hungV in bearings in the framefand `made adjustable as to its vdistance from roll C.,V.This roll is driven' by a, gear-wheel, 4. e e is a thin cutting-knife, like a belt, coiled upon -the flanged drums E and F,`hungvupon projecting bearingsva a on' each side of the frame. The rear Vpart of the knife rests upon a ledge, I1, on the front of the frame, and its back, runs against a half-grooved plate, on top of 6, and fastened to itby set-screws. G is the mainrdriving-shaft, with crank at y, and having v upon ita screw-gear Yat it, i H ,is another Y`shaft, running` across the frame from sideto side, and having a gear-Wheel, g-, -"taki ng into the threads of the screw h. f The -shaft H projects at each end beypnd the frame, and has upon its end bevelled gears'h h. -Iis another shafton the right side of the frame, upon which the drum E is placed, and which is supported on projecting bearingsa a. Upon this shaft I, are placed three` bevelle'd gears, it" z" the latter of which isloose and movable on the shaft. Gear-wheel h meshes permanently into t', and gear-wheel z" permanently into another bevelled gear-wheel, L, attached tothe side of the frame. Bevelled gear t' maydbeshippedin and out of bevelled gear it. On the left side of the frame is another shaft, J', uponpvrhich the drum Fis'placeiand which is supported on projectingbearings a evi-"'.Q Upon 'this shaft J `is placed a loose bevelled gear-wheel, j, movableion the shaft, and which may be lshipped in'and out of bevelled gear h. Klis alever, pivoted at c to a projection from the rear of the frame, and connected at its ends'fto collars k 7c on the shafts I' and J, attached to the bevelledl gears ifand M m is a rod, for operating the lever K, and'shipping and unshippingl the gears z'" and j with, gearsrlzvand h. Zis a gear-wheel, attached to thel side of the frame on the axis of bevelled gear L. 2 and 3 negeer-wheels attached to the side of the frame.

. d isthe'leather passing between C and D, against the knife e. .f are rods, on each side, hung on- 'pivotsf and pivotedbelow, ntf', t0 Shipping-rods M m. e are projections or cams 'on the back of the knife, near the two` ends, intended to act nponthe'rods f alternately, and change the cutting-direction of the knife by'shipping o'ne and unshipping the other off-he gears c it. Y

The operation is as follows: The crank g, bengturned, revolves shaft G and Worm-gear h". This imparts v motion to gear-wheel g', and thus to shaft H and bevelled gears h 7L. .This imparts motion to bevelled gear z', and thus to shaft I, and bevelled geant", and bevelled gear if', being shipped into gear. This will impart motion to drum E and bevelled gear L, thence to gear or pinion Z, thence to gear or'pinion 1 and roll B, thence tog'ears or pinions'2 and 3, and thence to-gear or pinion and rollgD., The knife E will be Aunwound from drum F, and Wound up on drum E. The leather, being fed in between C and D, will be split by the knife, one

part passing above and the other. below ledge and plate b b. When the'leather has passed through, or the knife has run its length, by drawing out the rodfMm the gear i" will be unshipped from gear 7i, and gear .j willV be shipped into gear'zQ'and. the motion of theknife will be reversed, and will unwind frpm drum E and wind up on drum F. When the knife is` run to its length, the cam projection e on the back, near the end, will automatically press against the 'rod f, and thus unship the gear z' or y', as may be'desired, and. change the direction of knife-motion.'

Other automatic (or otherwise) methods of shipping and unshippingthe gears, `and*ofchanging the direction of motion ofthe knife may be adopted. Grinders may also he adapted to the knife, so as to grind it and keep it sharp as it is nsed,and the knife may Le freund or unwound, or drawn-ont soia-s to cut -the wholeor any part of its length in any sui-table manner, so that it be a ribbon or belt-knife, and not endless. The ring-roll should be made` to move a little faster than the gauge-rollht'o'prevent the leather from 'crawl-ing up against the gauge-roll.

' 4The object of the compound roll C,4with its lspiral sprin` and sectional rings is,`i.s combination with the` vrubber or elastic roll B, to receive'and accommodate any inequalities of the leather, and enable a perfectly even `and smoothsheet to be cut or split oifK My invention hasmore particular reference to the knife and the compound roller.

yHaving described my invention, what I claim in leatheror other splitting-machines, or knife-machines for any continuous cutting purpose, is

. Thelong-belt knife, cutting either. way, ysubstantially as described. `The knife coiled on drums, and operating either-way, substantially as described.v

The compound roller, with spindle, spiral spring, and sectional rings,-substantially .ns described. The compound roller, as described, in combination with a rubber roller, substantially asdescribed. The compound roller, as described, in combination with a'.splittingkni`e, substantially as described.. The candor/projection on the back of the knife, substantially as and for the purpose described. i Arranging and operating the knife by mea-ns substantially as described.v

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed m'y name.

Weense FRANCIS J. VITT-UM; .Witnesses :l

W. M. PARKER,

A. B. ELY... 

